Modern communications and data networks are comprised of nodes that transport data through the network. The nodes may include routers, switches, bridges, or combinations thereof that transport the individual data packets or frames through the network. Some networks may offer data services that forward data frames from one node to another node across the network without using pre-configured routes on intermediate nodes. Other networks may forward the data frames from one node to another node across the network along pre-configured or pre-established paths.
Bypasses, such as express bypasses, are sometimes used in packet networks to create a direct path between two nodes when the traffic volume between the two nodes exceeds certain capacity. For example, when traffic volume between two Provider Edge (PE) nodes is close to a capacity limit, an express bypass can be created between the two PE nodes to reduce switching burden on the intermediate (or transit) nodes in the middle of the network. Unfortunately, bypasses change the topology of the network and can lead to undesirable changes in routing behavior within the network.